Euro decision: "Total failure of political leadership" (Diana Wallis MEP)

Diana Wallis MEP <info@dianawallismep.org.uk>

Euro decision: "Total failure of political leadership"

June 9, 2003 12:00 AM

Commenting on the Government's decision to delay a referendum on the Euro, Diana Wallis MEP said in Brussels, "The real reason we are not ready for a referendum on the Euro has more to do with a total failure of political leadership on Europe by the Government rather than any failure on economic tests."

"The public is not ready, nor will it be, until the Government grasps the whole Europe agenda: the excitement of enlargement with 10 new countries voting to join in their own referendums and the possibilities of a new constitution for Europe which will entrench the powers of national parliaments. Let's have a proper debate about Europe: a political debate. How can we just talk economics when the rest of Europe is talking politics, essentially the future of the whole continent?"

"We desperately need a referendum on the constitution when it is known. In my view, to have a referendum on the Euro before that would be ridiculous as people will rightly use such a referendum to vote on the whole European issue. So let's have the political debate that everybody wants."

"Why not set a date, one year hence, when we should know the full outcome of the constitutional changes and have a double question referendum on both the constitution and the Euro? In the meantime let's get ready."